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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27081970">One More Time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowinflame/pseuds/Shadowinflame'>Shadowinflame</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Undertale (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bad Guys Poly (Undertale), Blood, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Broken Bones, Caring Dreamtale Nightmare Sans (Undertale), Crosstale Sans (Undertale), Dreamtale Nightmare Sans (Undertale), Dusttale Sans (Undertale), Emotional, Emotions, Heavy Angst, Horrortale Sans (Undertale), Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Killer Sans (Undertale) - Freeform, M/M, Multi, Parental Dreamtale Nightmare Sans (Undertale), Passive Dreamtale Nightmare Sans (Undertale), Protective Dreamtale Nightmare Sans (Undertale), Violence, mentioned past trauma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-09 02:02:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,800</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27081970</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowinflame/pseuds/Shadowinflame</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Nightmare's goop has healing properties and he is more than willing to give up part of his liveforce to save his crew.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bad Gays Poly, Sans/Sans (Undertale)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>239</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. All the times Nightmare saved his gang</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tell me if I missed any tags/warnings!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Dream's arrow hit it's target he wasn't the only one to gasp in horror. Dust stumbled back, eyes wide open and hands clutching at his chest.</p><p>“Dust!”, Nightmare screamed, catching the skeleton before he fell to the ground. “S-shit, Dust.”</p><p>The arrow had pierced right through his soul, the only reason he hadn't dusted yet was the LV desperately fighting against it. </p><p>“Boss, I'm-”</p><p>“Don't waste your energy”, Nightmare whispered. Then he looked up, eyes searching for his brother. “Dream!”, he screamed.</p><p>Dream had his hands up to cover his tear-stained face, though it did nothing to stop the flood. “I didn't- didn't mean to-”, he sobbed before he just turned around and ran through a portal. </p><p>Ink and Blue still stared at Dust in shock, unable to move, seemingly having forgotten they even owned legs. </p><p>They never intended to kill. </p><p>“Killer, Cross, Horror! Get here, we're leaving!”, Nightmare screamed, still kneeling on the ground with Dust in his arms. The others ran up to them and once they were in reach Nightmare opened a portal below them, teleporting them back to the castle.</p><p>Finally back there the other's gathered around him, looking at Dust.</p><p>“H-how bad is it?”, Cross asked worried.</p><p>Nightmare tightened his grip on Dust's jacket, closing his single socket in concentration. “He won't die”, he said. “He won't, I'll make sure of it!”</p><p>Everyone took a step back in surprise as a dark glow filled the room with a soothing cold, engulfing the two skeletons on the floor and lingering just above Dust's soul. </p><p>“Hold on”, Nightmare whispered, tugging Dust's head just below his chin. The others watched in awe as the arrow dissipated into thin air and it looked as if the aura moved into Dust's body.</p><p>“Almost.. almost there”, Nightmare breathed, holding Dust a little closer still. </p><p>After a few long minutes Nightmare finally opened his eye again, smiling a little as he looked down at Dust and letting out a breath he didn't new he was holding. Rearranging Dust's position in his arms Nightmare stood up and looked at the others in the room.</p><p>“He'll make it but he needs some rest right now”, he announced. “I'll carry him over to his room but after that I will need to return to my office and get to all that paperwork I neglected. I trust you will be there to get him something to drink and maybe food when he wakes up.”</p><p>“Y-yes, of course. You can count on us, boss!”, Cross said and the others nodded.</p><p>Nightmare smiled a little and walked off with Dust.</p><p> </p><p>After he set the unconscious skeleton down on his bed Nightmare walked to his room instead of his office like he announced. He needed to check something first.</p><p>Once there he locked the room and walked over to the mirror, shrugging off his jacket. He took a deep breath before he lifted his shirt up and he regretted doing so as he stared at himself in the mirror. </p><p>Shaking fingers travelled up to his ribs, slowly tracing the now white bone, interlaced with small amounts of his goop where the old cracks used to be. Almost his whole ribcage was no longer covered in the liquid that ran off him almost non-stop. </p><p>“That.. well, that's a lot”, Nightmare breathed shakily, slowly lowering his shirt back down. It was the first time he did this so he had no idea about the consequences, though he expected that bringing someone back from certain death came with a price. He wouldn't be able to do this very often.</p><p>Not that he cared, really. His boys meant the world to him!</p><p>Picking his jacket up from the ground again, he finally trotted over to his office, sitting down to get back to his paperwork. Dust was safe and that was all that mattered. He didn't mind loosing part of the essence that basically held him together. He was actually glad it wasn't anywhere visible, that would safe him the questions from his gang.</p><p>He sighed and looked down at the document, better focus on something else for now. </p><p> </p><p>As Dust appeared to the next battle with the Star Sanses, Ink and Blue looked at each other in horrified confusion. Dream just looked his brother directly into the eyes, a knowing expression on his face.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p><i>“Are you sure that's a good idea?”,</i> Killer had asked as Nightmare announced that he'd be taking Horror with him on his next errand in the other's old AU, Horrortale and honestly, Nightmare did end up asking himself the same question. </p><p> </p><p>He should have been more careful, shouldn't have switched his focus away from the other even as he was reading the contract. It was his fault, he knew that. He could just hope he would make it in time now.</p><p>He was running through Snowdin as fast as he could, not looking left and right, only following what he made out as the strongest source of negativity in this AU. He had to admit, it scared him. The AU was ways full of negativity but what he felt from wherever he was currently headed to was too much, even for Horrortale. He wondered if he was ready to face what would be presented to him once he made it.</p><p>Deep into the forest he ran and the closer he got the more power he felt rise up in him, the negativity fuelling him more than he had been in a long time. He stopped right in his tracks as he came to a bigger tree, a lot of the AUs monsters standing around it. He couldn't see him, but he knew that it was Horror that leaned against the tree, barely conscious from what he could feel.</p><p>His hands balled into fists and his body reacted on its own, tentacles shooting forward and wrapping around each one of the attackers.</p><p>"Betraying me behind my back like that", he said, trying his best to keep his cool even though he was burning inside. "Though, I suppose I should have expected that from monsters like you." He took a few steps closer and his eyes fell on Horror, beaten up and bleeding. He quickly turned his head around again. "Now tell me, what should I do with you?"</p><p>"Do..n't.. don't k.ll em", Horror croaked out, coughing up blood once he finished.</p><p>"You.. are asking me to spare them? After everything they did to you?!", Nightmare could hardly hold his anger in at this point, his aura spreading through the woods already. "Horror!"</p><p>"We do..nt kill, ight boss?" the other tried to press out. "In t' end.. all 'ey wan...ed..."</p><p>Nightmare took a deep breath. Horror was right, they didn't kill. Nightmare didn't want to go back to that if he could avoid it. He balled his fists tighter, phalanges scraping against his bones, drawing blood and his tentacles tightened around the monsters he held.</p><p>"You're lucky", he mumbled. "You're lucky I'm not a killer. Though, I get my revenge either way and letting you live benefits me more anyway." He opened a portal right next to his tentacles and shoved all of the monsters he held through it. "Hope you suffer a lot!", he screamed after them but right as the portal closed he stumbled over to Horror.</p><p>He let himself fall to his knees in front of the other, shaking hands running along the other's body, trying to map out all the wounds he couldn't see. All that blood on the other's face and the way the crack looked worse than ever... Nightmare didn't even want to check it.</p><p>Horror was barely breathing. The chances of him surviving going through a portal were slim, very slim and Nightmare was sure the other knew it. They didn't have any medical supplies with them though.</p><p>"Horror..", Nightmare started, trying not to let his voice show how he felt.</p><p>"s okay", Horror mumbled. "had a... good time ov'r at your cas...tle."</p><p>"Don't.. don't talk like you're already dead!", Nightmare told him. <i>This is my fault</i>, he told himself, <i>So I better do something to make up for it! </i></p><p>Gathering Horror in his arms, Nightmare leaned against the tree that was already stained red from Horror's blood. He pressed the shaking skeleton close to himself and started gathering his magic.</p><p>Horror was slipping in and out of consciousness as the God healed him, but he felt the other's magic, soft and warm like a blanket against his own cold bones, wrapping him up completely, whispering all the soothing words Nightmare would never dare speak on his own. He was closer to his boss than he had ever been before, so close in fact he could hear the beat of the other's soul in his ribcage, strong and even and somehow.. somehow really reassuring. </p><p>Nightmare was a strong pillar to all of them, always. The one who guided them back to a path they could see, out of the sea they were drowning in. But right now Nightmare was even more than that. Nightmare was the only thing Horror could hold on to right now as life threatened to leave him and somehow, somehow that was enough to rip him out of death's grip.</p><p>The magic that wrapped around his soul was strange, wild and so much stronger than his own and even though he felt power and energy return to him it was so overwhelming that it ripped him right out of the world of the wake again. He collapsed against Nightmare's chest completely, unconscious but alive and Nightmare smiled an exhausted smile.</p><p>He made it.</p><p> </p><p>Looking at himself in the mirror he was surprised he didn't see it earlier as it was quite obvious now that there were parts of him that were no longer covered. He turned away from the mirror and sat down on his bed, looking at his hands. No matter what he did now, this would inevitably cause questions. </p><p>Walking over to his wardrobe he looked through it to find a pair of long pants and some gloves. It just had to be like this, explaining a new outfit might be easier than explaining the lack of colour and sliminess to his bones. After dressing in the new items he picked he slumped down on his bed again. It was taking it's toll on him and slowly.. he started to wonder if he would know when the last time had come. And secretly he asked himself.. how that would contradict his immortality.</p><p>Shaking his head he stood up again. It was getting late and Horror wouldn't be able to make dinner tonight, so he'd better get going. </p><p> </p><p>Sitting down on his chair after serving the food to the others, Nightmare wordlessly picked up his spoon and started eating. He knew the others were staring, but as long as no one said something he didn't have to answer and honestly, he licked the silence a lot better. </p><p>He should've known better than to expect the silence to drag on until he was done though, Killer had never accepted anything wordlessly. Nightmare wasn't surprised as the short skeleton finally asked: “So, Horror isn't eating with us today? He got hurt on your errand?”</p><p>“Yes, though it isn't bad, I took care of him and he's already recovering wonderfully”, Nightmare answered. He wasn't lying he told himself. “I didn't wake him just for dinner, he knows the castle well enough to get some food once he wakes up.”</p><p>Killer nodded, accepting the explanation he got. Now that the silence was finally broken, the others seemed to regain their voices as well and Nightmare wasn't surprised at all as Dust spoke next.</p><p>“Something happened to your hands? It's quite a sight, you in gloves. And the long pants, you're changing your style or something?”</p><p>Dust's eyes really were too sharp for his own good sometimes.</p><p>“I just.. got tired of the old outfit”, Nightmare tried. “Most AUs know of my existence by now, no use trying to fool anyone with imitating one of their inhabitants, so I thought I might as well go for a little more style. And with gloves on I won't stain my papers anymore should I get 'extra drippy' as Killer calls it.”</p><p>He was glad his excuse seemed to get accepted as everyone started laughing at the reference of Killer's wording. </p><p>“So.. will you start wearing more formal clothes then?”, Cross asked, a slight blush on his face. “I only saw you in a suit once.”</p><p>“Come on Criss-cross”, Killer laughed. “As if he'd wear a suit! That's absolute bonkers if he still wants to fight!”</p><p>“Though, a loose tunic might be a good idea”, Dust added in. “Looks regal enough to fit the title he made himself and still leaves enough room for quick movement.”</p><p>“I can't remember giving you permission to chose my outfit”, Nightmare said, though the quiet laugh in his voice was all too obvious. “I'm not a dress-up doll!”</p><p>“Sure you aren't, Boss”, Killer smiled. “But come on! Let these skeletons dream for once, huh?”</p><p>Nightmare chuckled just a little. Sometimes.. he could really, genuinely appreciate these idiots.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>The fight was rough and Nightmare almost couldn't remember how they ended up like this. Lead into an ambush by masked monsters, if he could just rip the mask off one of them before they dusted! He would make sure they suffered a fate far worse than death.</p><p>Horror was still holding up pretty good, making use of his surroundings to confuse his enemies. Dust was also still brimming with power, magic flaring around him as he focused. </p><p>Cross on the other hand.. even though he tried to not let it show, his energy was slowly draining and he had trouble if more than two enemies came his way. Nightmare ran over to him, blocking a hit with one of his tentacles before it would hit the monochrome skeleton.</p><p>“There's no end to them!”, Cross panted. </p><p>“Save your energy for fighting, Cross”, Nightmare told him. “I don't know how many of them are here either, their auras all blur together.” Nightmare looked around while he did his best to keep some enemies away from Cross. “Have you seen Killer?”</p><p>Cross stopped right in his tracks, looking over the dusty field for a few seconds. “Did he get separated from us!?”, he screamed out shocked. “He can't possibly-”</p><p>Nightmare cursed under his breath, how could he let this happen <i>again?</i> “I'll find him!”, he promised. “Stay closer to Dust and Horror, don't let them corner you!”</p><p>“Alright, Boss!”, Cross panted.</p><p>Nightmare nodded at him one last time before he ran off, focusing to find Killer's aura. He didn't have to search long.</p><p>“Heey, target boy, getting tired already?”, he heard someone call and ran into the direction immediately. </p><p>“Shut up, I can still go!”, Killer rasped and Nightmare's soul dropped. The other's voice sounded like he was on the verge of collapsing. “Come on, you're just too scared to attack because I slaughtered all your friends! Thought you could defeat me just because you got me separated from my group? Tch, don't poke fun at me!”</p><p>“Big words for such a small skeleton”, the guy said.</p><p>Right as Nightmare arrived he barely saw a figure approach Killer from behind. “Killer!”, he screamed, tentacles already moving forward in hopes to stop the blow. “Behind you, Kills!”</p><p>Movements slowed from fatigue and exhaustion Killer didn't manage to turn around in time and the knife pierced his target-shaped soul right through the middle.</p><p>“A hundred points for us, huh?”, the first guy cheered.</p><p><i>Not again!</i>, his mind screamed at him. <i>You're gonna loose him, do something or you'll loose him forever!</i></p><p>Nightmare didn't care anymore, didn't even look at the attackers as his tentacles turned red and dusty. All he could focus on was Killer who seemed to collapse in slow-motion, hands still clutching at the tip of the knife that protruded out of his soul. Time stood still for a moment as Nightmare finally reached Killer, hands wrapping around him. His magic immediately engulfed the other and Nightmare strained himself to teleport back to where he knew the rest of his gang was still fighting. He wrapped each of them in a tentacle and just dragged them through a portal back to the castle. </p><p>“Boss?”, Dust asked as all of them were set down to the ground again.</p><p>“We'll talk later”, Nightmare said in a rushed voice before he left through another portal, leaving the rest of his gang staring at a black bloodstain on the floor.</p><p> </p><p>They arrived in Killer's room and Nightmare immediately stumbled over to the other's bed, sitting down on the edge of it with Killer in his arms. He took a deep breath before he gripped the handle of the knife, magic already pooling around the blade to heal the wound that would get opened as soon as the weapon was out. He pulled.</p><p>“Hnn, fuck Boss, that hurt!”, Killer breathed a chuckle, weak hands clinging to the other's jacket.</p><p>“Surprised you're still able to talk”, Nightmare mumbled, laying Killer down on the bed, his hand still at the wound on the other's back.</p><p>“Heh, me too”, Killer panted. “Guess this really is the end then..”</p><p>“Don't talk bullshit, Kills!”, Nightmare scolded him.</p><p>Killer started coughing and Nightmare turned him over to his side to help get the blood out of his airway. </p><p>Killer crawled in on himself, hands clutching at his throat as black liquid spilled out of his mouth, running down his chin while his tears overflowed. Everything hurt and yet he felt a presence, a strong magic supporting him, washing away the hurt bit for bit.</p><p>As the coughing finally let up Killer weakly looked at his hand, even tried to raise it enough to show it to Nightmare. “Look”, he said, “even my blood is black. Told you I'm something special!”</p><p>His hand dropped to his side as all the energy he got from the adrenaline rush suddenly wore off. Worried, Nightmare dragged Killer's head into his lap, eyes lingering on the other's soul to make sure it didn't fade. He started panting too as healing Killer took a lot more energy than he expected it to.</p><p>“Hey Night”, Killer whispered. “If I'm going to die now.. you might as well fulfil one last wish of mine, right?” As Nightmare grunted but stayed quiet otherwise Killer just continued. “Can I get a kiss? Doesn't have to be on the mouth, cheek is perfectly fine, I just.. always wondered what it'd be like..”</p><p>“Can you just.. shut up already?”, Nightmare panted, wrapping his fingers around Killer's soul. “You're not going to die so just save your goddamn energy and let me do the work!”</p><p>Nightmare let out a sigh as Killer passed out, hugging the other's head a little closer and letting his magic run freely. He was exhausted already, but he was not letting Killer die. He meant just a little too much for that.</p><p>He finally released Killer's soul out of his shaking hands as he was sure he fixed it up to the last little crack. His sight was getting blurry but he still made sure that no wound was left bleeding on Killer's body before he let the other down onto the pillows, covering Killer's body with a blanket before he teleported back to his room.</p><p>He staggered over to his bed and just collapsed onto it. Holding his blanket close he drifted into a restless sleep.</p><p> </p><p>When he woke up again it seemed to be morning. Nightmare held his head as he tried to stand up from his bed, a horrible headache taking his sight and balance for a moment. He definitely used too much energy yesterday and the fact that he sacrificed part of the lifeforce holding him together didn't help it at all.</p><p>Still feeling horribly drained he walked over to the mirror to check the damage. He blinked a few times before he accepted that he was really seeing his reflection. No matter how bad he tried, he couldn't form his tentacles any longer. Fighting would become harder now, he knew that much.</p><p>He walked down into the main hall, legs still a little wobbly and sat down on his chair for breakfast. Within minutes the others came in, all stopping in the door for a second before they slowly walked over to their designated chairs.</p><p>“Boss?”, Cross asked. “Are you alright?”</p><p>“You look horrible”, Horror commented, carrying their breakfast inside and placing it on the table.</p><p>“I'm fine”, Nightmare said, but his voice clearly betrayed him. Silent and hoarse, lacking it's usual authority. He hated it. “I'm just a little drained, but it's nothing I can't handle.”</p><p>“And.. the reason you don't have your tentacles formed?”, Dust asked.</p><p>“Believe it or not, they need a lot of energy to maintain, so I decided to keep them off for a bit. You aren't exactly bothered by it, are you?” It.. wasn't exactly a lie as they did cost him a good amount of energy. It was just that.. he'd probably loose a lot more than just his extra appendages if he tried to summon them again. He didn't have enough of the fluid left they were made of, having spent most of it to keep his gang alive.</p><p>“If it'll help you regain energy faster I don't have a say in what you do or don't”, Dust shrugged, grabbing something to eat.</p><p>He looked back up though, as Killer finally trotted into the room, looking equally as bad as Nightmare. </p><p>“I suppose his wounds were bad?”, Dust just commented, shifting his focus back to his food.</p><p>Killer locked bloodshot eyes with Nightmare's equally bloodshot ones and the small nod they gave each other was enough. </p><p>“It wasn't easy, that much I can say”, Nightmare sighed.</p><p>“Heh, you could say I almost <i>died</i>”, Killer joked.</p><p>His voice still lacked the usual cheerful swing to it so the concerned gazed from his teammates probably were appropriate. Nightmare just shook his head and started eating. Better get some energy back to that used body of his.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Sighing, Nightmare looked himself up and down in the mirror. The time for the next errand had arrived and word had already spread that the 'King of Nightmares' was weakened. Without his tentacles, he really was an easy target. He could only hope that no one dared approach them in the AU they would raid for supplies this time.</p><p> </p><p>He couldn't have been more wrong, <i>everyone</i> had gathered around the stores of the pacifist AU they teleported to within seconds of their arrival and they were surrounded and separated in the blink of an eye. </p><p>Nightmare might have been weaker without his tentacles, but the rage of the people attacking them was strong enough to fuel him, making his normal summoned bones and stakes just as strong, rendering monsters and humans immobile or unconscious in one blow. </p><p>Though, his other teammates had a little more trouble dealing with the amount of enemies that suddenly collected around them. And the one with the least LV still had the biggest problems.</p><p>Nightmare's blood froze as he heard Cross scream all across the area. His eyes darted into the direction the sound came from only to see even more enemies collecting right there. Killer, Horror and Dust also turned to look, but seemed to see just as little as Nightmare did. They all started running at the same time, trying to fight their way through to their comrade. </p><p>Nightmare strengthened his aura as much as he could, getting some people to collapse as they came into contact with it, hurting others with attacks to get a path in front of him. His soul stopped as he finally arrived to the scene. </p><p>Cross' legs had been broken, his ribs smashed in and yet.. the boy was still standing, panting through pierced airways and his monochrome clothes painted with nothing but his own blood, his knife held in trembling, broken hands. He wasn't going to give up, that much was clear. Though, Nightmare suspected, the only reason he was still standing was that small bit of determination he still had.</p><p><i>Why him</i>, Nightmare's mind screamed. <i>Perfectly innocent, kind, lovely Cross, why him out of all people?!</i> </p><p>“It's me you hate!”, he screamed and his aura exploded, forcing everyone in close proximity to the ground, not making a difference between friend and enemy anymore.</p><p>He took the last few steps towards Cross and just wrapped his arms around him, letting both of them sink to the ground. Cross tried to say something but all that came out of his throat were croaked whispers so Nightmare shifted their positions enough to see the other's face again.</p><p>Cross brought his hands in front of him where Nightmare could see them. <i>”I'm sorry”</i>, he signed, suddenly glad he learned to speak without words.</p><p>“Don't be”, Nightmare whispered, tears rising to his eye. “It's not your fault. None of this.. you shouldn't.. it shouldn't have been you.”</p><p>Cross' hands started trembling as he tried to sign more but Nightmare held both his hands in his own, shaking his head. “Hold them still”, he says. “Don't waste any more energy.”</p><p>Cross looked at him, tears running down his face and he nodded, collapsing into Nightmare as the god collected what he knew to be his last bit of healing liquid he had on his body and transfusing it over to Cross to heal the other's bones just like the liquid once did to his once. To keep the other from dying, from falling apart. </p><p>Cross' breathing evened as the cold liquid touched his burning bones, cleaning the blood off him on it's path over the other's body. Nightmare closed his eyes and focused on the beat of Cross' soul, growing steadier with every passing second. </p><p>Something rustled behind them and Nightmare turned around, unable to attack in his current state and yet oh so willing to sacrifice what little life was left inside of him to protect the skeleton in his arms. </p><p>He breathed easy as he saw it was just the rest of his gang, barely managing to stand up from where Nightmare's outrage forced them down. Somehow he was proud of them for being able to withstand his aura just a little better than the enemies that still lay scattered over the ground, looking like they wouldn't move for another hour at least.<br/>
“Boss”, Killer whispered, looking at Nightmare and Cross. “We should leave.”</p><p>Nightmare looked down at Cross, still desperately holding on to consciousness and nodded, using what little energy he still had to form a portal. They all stepped through it. </p><p>“S-stay”, Nightmare croaked out once they arrived in the great hall. “I.. don't have the energy to move and I need you to take care of Cross once I'm done here.”</p><p>The others understood, collecting pillows to sit down next to the pair that already was on the floor, watching as Nightmare's powers healed every crack that was littered across Cross' body, slowly breathing life back into the friend they almost believed lost. </p><p>The room stayed silent, even as Nightmare passed Cross over to Horror and stood up on shaking legs, almost falling over. Killer offered him a hand but he slapped it away, forming a portal to his room and stepping through. </p><p> </p><p>Back in his room he collapsed on the floor, not even making it to his bed as he screamed in pain, tears running down his face. He wondered what would happen now, aware he spend his last energy healing Cross. </p><p>Turning over to look at the mirror on the other end of the room Nightmare watched how the last bit of black liquid ran off him, dissipating in the air. He huffed a soft laugh as he saw himself revert back to his other, far weaker state. So this was the price he ended up paying. He finally saw through both eyes again, closed both of them as he passed out, energy leaving him completely.</p><p> </p><p>Looking at himself, fully undressed in front of his mirror, Nightmare had to laugh. There still were small tracks of goop on him, one very prominent over the old wound on his eye. </p><p>“After all these years”, he whispered. “This still didn't heal fully.”</p><p>He didn't know how to explain <i>this</i> to his gang. There was no explanation, really. He didn't want them to see him like this at all!</p><p>And so he didn't leave his room for food after he finally woke up again, locking his room instead.<br/>
He didn't react as one after the other, all his precious gang members knocked on his door. He just crawled in on himself on his bed, scribbling things into a notebook with a pen. He hated this form, hated how weak he felt. He couldn't, just couldn't face them anymore like this.</p><p> </p><p>“And I am telling you, we need to know what the hell is wrong with him!”, Killer whispered angrily, hands on the table. “Come on Horror, you're with me, right?! He hasn't been eating at all these past few weeks! Not that we have a lot left now that errands are.. harder.”</p><p>“I'm worried about him, yes”, Horror agreed. “But.. your method.. that goes against everything we promised him, Killer.”</p><p>“Cross?!”, Killer tired convincing the other. “Come on!”</p><p>“I.. I am afraid it had something to do with me”, Cross said, hugging his legs closer to his chest. “You said he looked ready to pass out after he.. fixed me, so..”</p><p>“Are you coming with me?”, Killer asked, just hoping for another yes.</p><p>“I.. I really don't know”, Cross whimpered.</p><p>“What if he needs us though?”, Dust, who had agreed right away asked. “What if he can't move, can't talk anymore? What if he's wounded and it just gets worse while we're waiting!? Cross, Horror! Come on, he's our Boss, are you just going to leave him?”</p><p>“No”, Horror said. He sighed before he looked at the others. “Alright, fine. Let's do this.”<br/>
All of them looked over at Cross who nodded once and reluctantly stood up as well. Together they made their way over to Nightmare's room.</p><p>Killer didn't even bother to knock, getting straight to work on the door, lockpicks in hand. The others stood behind him, waiting in anticipation for anything to happen.</p><p>Something made a clicking sound and Killer let out a long breath before he slowly pushed the door open. All of them walked in.</p><p>Nightmare turned around in shock, freezing as he saw his whole gang standing in his door. “H-how..”, he asked and the shock was obvious on the others faces. His voice.. was slightly higher in this form. “I locked the door, so how! You weren't supposed to see me like this! Please, just leave me alone!”</p><p>“To starve yourself?”, Horror asked angrily. “I won't and you know it! We may be short on rations, but that's no reason for you to lock yourself up and not eat at all! I tried so hard to cook something up with what little we have left, do you even <i>know</i> how much it hurt to not see you down for dinner?!”</p><p>Nightmare winced. He knew very well how much sharing food meant to the other and it pained him to hear that exact hurt in his voice. “I-”</p><p>“Do you really think we would abandon you because of how you look?”, Killer yelled.</p><p>“Or because of your powers?”, Dust added. “None of that was why we joined you!”</p><p>“You gave us a home, a place to belong, people to feel comfortable around”, Cross smiled sadly.</p><p>“You gave us yourself, cared for us more than we could have ever asked for! And you think-”</p><p>“And you think we would just abandon you after all these years, all these memories?!”, Horror finished for Dust.</p><p>“But, I'm not-”</p><p>“Who cares if you're no longer the strong, feared king of Nightmares?”, Killer screamed and grabbed Nightmare's shoulders. “You still are Nightmare and that's all that counts!”</p><p>“Maybe you're a little smaller..”</p><p>“And no longer covered in goop..”</p><p>“And somehow have two eyes again-”</p><p>“And weird cracks on your skull?”, Killer said confused, one hand touching a streak of black on Nightmare's skull, “but you're still our Boss and we will never abandon you! You are stuck with us til the end!”</p><p>Nightmare laughed and suddenly he couldn't help the tears that fell from his eyes. “Thank you”, he whispered. He never knew he needed affirmation just as much as the people he took in. Getting some.. felt really nice. </p><p>“How did you even.. end up in this state though?”, Dust asked.</p><p>Looking down Nightmare finally admitted: “Every time I healed one of you.. I used the healing ability of the goop that covered me, my lifeforce you could say. It was one of the abilities the corruption gave me. But.. bringing someone back from the verge of death.. well, it came with a price.”</p><p>“So, I am the reason you lost your tentacles?”, Killer asked, suddenly overwhelmed by guilt.</p><p>“And it really was me who got you to this state in the end”, Cross sobbed, looking away.</p><p>“It was my decision to do what I did”, Nightmare told them. “And I would do it again if I could, if I had to!”</p><p>“Boss”, all of them sighed at once, overwhelmed by the other's confession. They meant that much to him.</p><p>“Now that we talked about that”, Horror smiled. “It's time to get some food into you, Boss!”</p><p>Nightmare laughed as his tears fell down, splotching on his tunic. It was nice to still have them call him Boss, though he believed himself totally unworthy of that title now. “You're right”, he agreed. “Let's go eat something!”</p><p> </p><p>He raised them well. His boys really had grown up into fine adults. Accepting, kind, loving and all the things the people said they lacked.<br/>
He was proud of his little gang.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yes this has a second chapter, but please, for your own sanity, only read it if you want to cry<br/>Otherwise, ignore it's existance completely and accept this story as a one-shot!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. And the one time he shouldn't</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Feel free to completely ignore the existance of this chapter as it will shatter your soul!<br/>Warnings for major Character death, implied post trauma, blood</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>"Say, if you do this one more time..."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Nightmare stayed quiet, turning his head to look away.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>"...It'll kill you, right?"</i>
</p><p>
  <i>"Let's not talk about this."</i>
</p><p> </p><p>They had no choice, really. Their resources had been thin for a good while now and with Nightmare no longer having his tentacles - or any powerful magic for that matter – they were forced to visit other AUs for food. They had no money either and they wouldn't get any, no one willing to employ the 'bad guys' of the multiverse. So, stealing was their only option.</p><p>Nightmare's aura wasn't as strong as before so Dream wouldn't be alarmed to their position immediately, though at this point they weren't sure if that was a good or a bad thing. They had a first-hand experience of the damage the inhabitants of the AUs could do on their own.</p><p>They had to use different strategies now that their overall power had decreased immensely. An all up-front attack was no longer an option. Luckily, most of them were also skilled in stealth and so they tried their best not to get detected.</p><p>Though, it might not have been the best idea to try it on the surface.</p><p> </p><p>They found themself on the run again right when they thought they had gathered enough to survive another week. Every corner seemed to be littered with more people willing to chase them down. </p><p>"I'll be the decoy", Nightmare whispered as they turned another corner, looking back at his crew.</p><p>"No, Boss, you're no longer-", Killer wanted to protest.</p><p>"I can still form portals, I just need to find the right moment!", Nightmare stated.</p><p>"That's crazy", Dust screamed, blocking another pursuer with a wall of bones. "Wither we do this together or we don't do it at all, Boss! You taught us that teamwork is the top-most important thing!"</p><p>"Dust..", Nightmare whispered surprised.</p><p>"I'll do it!", Killer said and ran off before any of the others could stop him.</p><p>"Killer!", Nightmare screamed, ready to follow him. He was stopped as he felt three hands on his back and shoulders.</p><p>"We'll go together", Horror smiled at him. </p><p>Nightmare looked at his gang for a moment, then nodded sternly. "Alright, let's get him before anything happens!"</p><p> </p><p>They arrived at a scene that had all of them gasping in terror. Killer was cornered at the edge of a cliff, angry villagers everywhere. Nightmare stopped as soon as he saw it, body shaking in horror, memories flooding his head and tears rose to his eyes. He couldn't move for the life of him.</p><p>Luckily the others already swarmed out, splitting the villagers away from their friend will bones and knifes, careful not to kill, but intend on saving the other. </p><p>Once they finally thought they could reach Killer the ground beneath him gave in, breaking apart right under his feet, making him fall into the deep below.</p><p>Watching one of his own fall to his death. Nightmare finally snapped out of his stupor, running to where the others screamed and tried their best to catch the other still. </p><p>Nightmare cursed the fact he no longer had his tentacles, cursed how he was stuck in this weak body now, even though the others told him it was alright. If he still had his extra appendages he could have easily saved Killer.</p><p>Dust was the only one out of them who could still use blue magic, but he was held back, free sight he needed blocked by angry people and he cried in rage, pushing at them, yet unable to get to the cliff in time.</p><p>The sound of bones breaking was agonizing, the breathless scream that was ripped from Killer's lungs shattering the souls of his friends into tiny pieces. Nightmare fell to his knees, aura glowing weakly. </p><p>He only snapped out of his shock as he was surrounded by his gang again, all of them trying to pull him up and away from the scene. </p><p>"No", he cried, pulling free from them. "This can't be- he's not-"</p><p>"Boss, please", Cross whined. "We need to leave."</p><p>Nightmare looked back at them, a single tear slipping down his face as he formed a portal behind them. "You leave then", he whispered, pushing them through with what strength he still had. "I'll get Killer." He closed the portal, not wanting to see the shocked faces of his friends.</p><p> </p><p>He ran to the edge of the cliff, pushing the people aside that thought they could stand in his path. Once at the cliff he just slid down, not caring for the burning friction that tore through his clothes and scraped his bones. Killer hadn't dusted yet.</p><p>"Killer!", he screamed, running up to the broken figure on the ground. "Killer, can you hear me?"</p><p>"B-boss?", Killer rasped, turning his head as far as he could to see if it really was the other that came for him. </p><p>"Killer", Nightmare breathed and kneeled down next to Killer. “One last time”, he whispered, holding Killer close and starting the transfer of his magic.</p><p>“No, Boss, don't!”, Killer screamed. “Let me die, it's my fault anyway! Please, don't do this to me! Nightmare!!”</p><p>The tears in Nightmare's eyes glistened in the light of the setting sun and Killer watched in painful awe as Nightmare started to turn to dust, perfectly illuminated by the soft orange glow.</p><p>“Live for me, Killer", he whispered. "Please..”</p><p>Nightmare leaned down and pressed one last kiss to Killer's teeth, gentle and loving.</p><p>"Nightmare", he stammered, surprised by the sudden gesture. "Why?"</p><p>"You asked for it, remember?", Nightmare hummed softly. "And because you kiss the person you love, right? I finally have the confidence to admit I love you. Have loved you for a long time now, actually."</p><p>"You.. loved me all along?", Killer breathed out, not believing what he heard.</p><p>"I loved all of you, always", Nightmare smiled before he dusted completely.</p><p>Killer screamed as he watched the other turn to dust, the white powder falling down on him, covering his clothes as if Nightmare still wanted to embrace him even after his death.</p><p>"You idiot!", Killer screamed and he felt actual tears run down his face, mixing with his usual black tracks. "Go and tell them yourself! You can't just", his voice broke into a sob but he was determined to say this. "you can't just say that and leave! Nightmare!"</p><p>Killer felt like all the energy Nightmare just gave him left again in an instant as genuine, unsuppressed sorrow wrecked him and he crawled in on himself, holding what little he had left of Nightmare close to his chest.</p><p>"C-come back", he hiccuped, "Please. N-nighty..."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Don't say I didn't warn you</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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